The Delta independent., 1887-02-15
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
From our regular correspondent.

The Forty-Ninth Congress has only
about three weeks more in which to
complete its record. From the pro-
gress legislation is making this fact
seems to be realized in both the Senate
and House. Very little time has been
| wasted this winter by either. Indeed.
the present session has Leeli an excep-
tiunnlly Industrious one.
In looking over the work of the past
week it will be found that some apprO-
priations bills were dis posed Of tile
railroad attorney bill got through the
Senate-about hundred pensions bills
were passed. .(some of which are of the
kind that the President will reto) and
there We're debates on such subjects as
Congressional funerals at public eX-
pense. clerks for Congressman a1 pub
lie expense, civil service reform under
the present administration. ships, guns.
coast defences, and on other questions
a good deal of curiosity is manites-
ted tn know what the President will
do with the case of the colored man
from Albany whom lie has twice APP
pointed To be Recorder of Deeds, and
whom the Senate has twice rejected.
The official notification of Mr.. MatI-
ers' rejection has no. yet been sent to
the White House and. of course. the
President will take no action in the
matter until lie is so informed. The
commission issued to MIR. Mathews by
the President after the adjournment of
the last session of Congress is opera
tive until the end of the present ses-
sion unless the President should nomi-
nate some one else to succeed him.
Therefore Mr.. Mathews may con-
tinue on duty until the fourth of March.
If the President so desires lie can
then appoint him again. and issue Il
commission similar to that under
which lie now serves, which will be
valid until the end of the next session
lirmed or superseded. There is nothing
10 prevent the President from keeping.
Mr. Mathews in office this way until
the close of the administration if lie So
desires. but whether it would be policy
for him to deity the Senate's opposition
to such extent, is quite another ques-
ton.
Secretary Manning will lie subject to
some very severe criticism i'll the
House of Representatives because of
his reply to the resolution of inquiry
sent him by the silver men, but he will
not be inpeached, as threatened, for
his party in the House would not al
low the matter to go that far. The au-
thUrS of The resolution We're much net
tied at the secretary's attempt to show
them that they did not know what IL
greenback was; that they did not know
which is now almost thing of the
past, aud II greenback, which is known
10 the law as Il United States note.
This allegation of the shallowness OF
| their knowledge displeased them. and
they also consider Mr.. Manning censur-
able for previous official acts.
Consequently, at the Capitol. there
has been some consulting of booSs re-
lating TO Impeachment, What it mems,
to whom it appiys. The proper OCCASION
for Impeachment, and how to do it.
The Western men resent What they
call the arrogance of the New Workers
in assuming that outside of the En-
about finance. Said one of them
"'rhese Treasury officials look upon
tue members os the lIuuse as a lot of
buobies.' lie said lie would take oc-
casion to remind them that the tinan-
ciai S, stem under which we were ut
present working WAS originated and
framed by secretary Chase of Ohio.
and that it WAS under another Ohio
Enthusiastically Slierlnan-tllat specie
payment was resumed.
These are the hardest weeks of the
year for the President. The measures
that are being sent tn him by Congress
demand much careful attention, and
the drafts upon his time, politically
and socially. are very pressing. The
iuost prominent social event of the
week ut White House was the dipoio-
matte dinner, at which the representa-
tives OF twenty-tlree of thirty friendly
iat.ous here We're present.
With her customary good taste. Mrs.
Mrs. cleveland s.irDoumted the ditii-
Guilty which presented itself in the
wine to he served to the foreigners.
Her temperance procliyities on the
Gre hand. and the courtesy due the
guests OF the state on the other might
have seemed amttgpnistic to Il person
of less tact, but she reconciled the two
claims upon her by distinguishing be-
tween her capIcity ls mistress of the
White House and her character IS AN
individual. In the former she served
the usual wines, and i'll the latter she
confined her potliiOifs to water.